Chapter 11
Karin became stricter with Isabel.
Her tone also grew increasingly rigid.
“You worked hard again today.”
“Did I do well?”
“You did… adequately.”
“Hehe, I got praised.”
“That wasn’t praise.”
“Then praise me next time.”
Karin turned away coldly.
She couldn’t bear to look at the princess’s bright, smiling face.
Whenever she looked at it, her heart softened and melted.
‘Excessive talent at too young an age eats away at a person.’
That was what she believed.
She feared that this pure and spotless princess might be devoured by her own monstrous talent and fall down a dark path.
‘Sir Beaton is already out of his mind, so I at least have to stay sharp.’
And truly, Beaton seemed completely unhinged.
Even if the princess committed a grave crime, he looked like the kind of person who would say, “It’s okay, Your Highness is cute,” and let it slide.
That was why Karin believed she had to be the strict one.
Sadly, this was the only method she knew.
She had never been taught through love.
She was doing her best—in her own way.
“Can mages fly in the sky?”
“They can.”
“Really high?”
“But it’s not a preferred method. If you fall, you die.”
“S-Scary!”
Startled, Isabel covered her eyes with her hands—
as if doing so would make the scary thing disappear.
The sight was unbearably adorable, but the more she felt that way, the more Karin forced herself to remain cold.
“Starting tomorrow, we will begin formal magic lessons.”
“Yes. I’ll work hard.”
Only after Karin left the room did Isabel let out a deep breath.
‘Wow… I almost got caught being scared.’
She couldn’t look Karin in the eyes when she mentioned death.
When Karin talked about death, it felt terrifying.
Even in the novel, Karin used those exact words as warnings to her prey.
‘Good thing I covered my eyes.’
Meanwhile, Karin returned to her room.
With a cold expression, she locked the door.
“Silence.”
She cast a spell to block all sound.
“Blind.”
She blocked out the light from outside.
The room grew dim.
After looking around, she walked to the bed and jumped onto it.
She pulled the blanket over herself.
Under the blanket was something shaped like a person.
“Cute! Cute! Cute!”
That human-shaped object was a doll.
Clutching it tightly, she finally released the emotions she had barely suppressed earlier.
Her fists struck the doll repeatedly.
“Would it be okay if I kidnapped her?”
Her emotions, intensified by suppression, made it impossible to properly control her mana.
Crack—! Rip—!
The doll burst in several places, stuffing spilling out.
“How can a person be that cute and lovable?”
Soon, the doll was half-destroyed.
After venting everything in secret, Karin regained her composure.
Once again, she resolved to remain cold toward the princess.
After destroying a total of 372 dolls, Karin requested an audience with the Emperor.
“I plan to begin formal magic training starting tomorrow.”
“I see.”
“She will become quite a remarkable mage.”
“She carries the blood of Bilotian. That’s nothing surprising.”
Karin felt a strange sense of kinship with the Emperor.
It was the kind of subtle instinct only those of the same kind could perceive.
‘He’s… proud?’
In truth, the Emperor rarely visited Isabel’s room.
Rumors had spread that he did not care for her.
Given that she couldn’t properly learn the empire’s swordsmanship, it was an understandable rumor.
‘But that’s not true.’
Today, as a teacher meeting a parent, Karin was certain.
‘He’s the same as me.’
The Emperor actually liked Isabel very much.
‘But he’s the type who hides it desperately.’
With the sharp intuition befitting a final villain, Karin analyzed him.
“Some expenses may be required for her magical training.”
“Discuss such trivial matters with Beaton and handle them as you see fit.”
Beaton was obsessed with the princess.
The Emperor knew that well.
“So… I can take that to mean there’s essentially no limit to the budget?”
“I don’t recall saying that.”
Karin realized something else.
Though similar to her, the Emperor had not yet acknowledged it.
Or perhaps he was still in denial.
In modern terms, he was in the ‘denial phase of fandom.’
“Your Majesty, won’t you ask?”
“Ask what?”
“About how much magical talent the princess possesses.”
In magic, talent was everything.
Without it, no matter how hard one worked, they could never surpass a certain level.
Karin had not yet told anyone about Isabel’s extraordinary talent.
Yet the Emperor didn’t seem curious.
“Is that important?”
“Most people consider it very important. It’s usually the first thing they ask.”
“Have you forgotten where you are?”
This was the Empire of the Sword.
Even a small achievement in swordsmanship mattered more than great magical talent.
Karin nodded.
“I momentarily forgot. I will take my leave.”
“Wait.”
Ron asked:
“Is she enjoying it?”
“….”
The unexpected question left Karin silent for a moment.
“She smiled brightly while imagining flying in the sky.”
She recalled the image of Isabel covering her eyes.
A faint smile appeared on Karin’s lips.
“I see.”
That was enough.
It felt like those words were implied.
Karin was deeply shaken.
“This is the first time I’ve seen a parent ask that.”
Does she have talent?
Will she do well?
Can she become a great mage?
Everyone asked those things.
No one ever asked if a child was happy.
‘Even I, after nearly 20 years of training, have never been asked if I enjoyed it…’
As a child, Karin had always craved praise.
She had needed recognition.
To her, magic had only ever been a tool for validation and achievement.
“The rumors that Your Majesty dislikes the princess are incorrect.”
“Such rumors exist?”
“Yes.”
The Emperor neither confirmed nor denied it.
That silence was a powerful denial.
“Will you not correct the misunderstanding?”
“Wouldn’t it look foolish to bother correcting something so trivial?”
He acted as if such rumors didn’t matter to him at all.
Karin nodded.
“That is true.”
She didn’t notice the Emperor’s fingers digging deeply into the armrest.
It was made of solid metal.
Summer arrived.
Countless people gathered in the capital of the Bilotian Empire, Seoel.
The day the sun rose—
the Emperor’s birthday was approaching.
Delegations from various nations, including the Mirotel Magic Federation, arrived at the imperial palace.
A grand celebration began.
Ron, the central figure, didn’t particularly enjoy this yearly event.
Serna adjusted his attire.
“Your Majesty, please try not to look too bothered. This is an important diplomatic event.”
“…Understood.”
“Promise me.”
Ron reluctantly nodded—unable to refuse Serna.
He fulfilled his duties as Emperor.
He interacted with envoys and graced the ballroom.
‘How tedious.’
He would rather swing his sword than endure this.
The thought that this banquet would last an entire week was unbearable.
With his exceptional hearing, he couldn’t help but overhear noblewomen whispering about his appearance.
“It’s like his face is glowing.”
“How can someone look like that? I want to paint his portrait and preserve it forever.”
The host announced:
“Before the gift ceremony, we will have a congratulatory performance by the genius pianist, Sir Runta.”
Soon, the gift ceremony would begin.
Precious jewels, rare spices, luxurious fabrics, masterpieces crafted by artisans—
The envoys checked the treasures they had prepared.
At that same time, Isabel was running around outside.
‘Kids should run and play, after all.’
The best thing about reincarnating was that her body no longer hurt.
Having spent her life bedridden, she now ran around whenever she could.
It was fun to run.
It was happiness not to be in pain.
‘This is fun!’
As a result, she ended up completely covered in dirt—far from how a princess should look.
Luluka chased after her, panting.
Only when Isabel crouched down did Luluka manage to catch up.
“Huff… huff… what are you doing?”
“Nanny, isn’t it pretty?”
In her hand was a yellow flower.
Her hair was messy, her hands covered in dirt.
There was no trace of royal elegance.
There was even soot on her face.
And yet, she smiled brightly.
“I can make it shine too.”
Using magic she had learned recently, Isabel activated her mana.
The flower sparkled.
“I’ll give it to you. A present.”
“Thank you! I’ll treasure it as a family—”
But then something strange happened.
“Nanny?”
Luluka disappeared.
In her place, only the yellow flower fell to the ground.
It was as if she had vanished into thin air.
“Well now… I didn’t expect to find such a treasure here.”
The man’s voice was ominous.
His gaze was fixed on Isabel.
